Fuel feeding system



Feb. 23, 1954 J. L. RAY

FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM Filed July 15, 1946 muuu u III II III .lNVENTOR QA/vmw' l. M

" ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1954 FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM James L. Ray, Long Beach, Calif., .assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application July-13, 1946, Serial No. 683,355

8 CIaims.

This invention relates to fuel feeding systems, and more particularly to systems for feeding fuel to one or more combustion chambers, and the principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved. systems of these types.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel feeding system in which fuel under high pressure is delivered to the combustion chamber for starting combustion, and, more specifically, a charge of fuel of predetermined quantity is so delivered.

Another object of the invention is to prevent delivery of fuel to the combustion chamber until the fuel pressure rises to a predetermined .value.

Other objects will appear as the description of the invention proceeds.

The novel features of the invention and how the objects are attained will appear from this application and all of these novel features are intended. to be pointed out in the claims.

Several embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, and in this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of a system embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional detail view of apparatus which may be embodied in a system embodying the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of an alternative detail.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the system there shown comprises a primary source of fuel here shown as a tank ill for containing liquid fuel. A conduit ll leads from the tank iii to the suction side of a pump l2 of anysuitable. type. The pump l2 discharges into a conduit l3 in which a control or throttle valve Ma is desirably interposed, so that the rate of flow may be regulated.

The discharge end of the conduit I3 is here shown as connected to an inlet port [4 in a cylinder 15. The cylinder I5 is here shown as having an outlet port It to which a conduit I! is connected, the conduit i! being connected at its other end to the inlet 18 of a valve l9 having a movable valve body 20 pressed to its seat by a, flexible diaphragm 2| of metal or any other suitable material. When a predetermined pressure is reached in the conduit H the diaphragm H is suddenly flexed upwardly and the valve body 20 is snapped to open position. The valve Connected-to the fuel header 24 is a conduit 25 which is connected at its other end to the inlet 26 of a check valve 21. The check. valve 21 may be of any suitable kind, it being here shown as comprising a ball 28 pressed to a seat. by a spring 29. The check valve 2'l has an outlet 30 connected by a conduit 3|. to a burner nozzle 32 which is constructed and arranged to discharge fuel into a combustion chamber 33. The fuel discharged into the chamber 33. may be ignited by any suitable means here shown as. a spark plug 35 from which a. wire 35 leads to a source of. high electric potential (not shown). Where a fuel header 24 is used, the header may have connected thereto any desired number of combustion chambers, one other chamber 330. fed by a nozzle 32a being indicated. If desired the chambers 33, 33a may be connected, so that ignition of fuel in all chambers. may result from ignition of the fuel in one of the chambers.

A piston 36 is disposed in the cylinder l5, the piston being biased to the position shown by a spring 3? at one end engaging the piston 36' and at the other a. cover 38 for the cylinder IS. The piston as has connected thereto a piston 39 of substantially smaller diameter fittingv in a cylinder 48. Fuel in. the cylinder 45! may be discharged from an outlet. port 41 into a conduit 42 connected at its other end to the inlet 43 of a valve 44 of suitable form here shown as. comprising a ball d5 pressed to a seat by a spring A16. The valve 46 has a discharge outlet 41! to which is connected one end of. a conduit 48 the other end of thev conduit being connected to the nozzle 32. The valve Ml will not open until. the pressure in the cylinder 48, and hence the conduit 42, is a predetermined pressure which is substantially higher than the pressure sufiicient to open the'valve [9. For example, the valve l9 maybe constructed and arranged to open when the pressure in the conduit IT reaches 50 pounds per square millimeter, whereas the valve 44 may be constructed and'arranged to open when the pressure in the conduit 42 reaches about 300 pounds per square millimeter. The values hereinbefore mentioned are given merely by way of illustration and. not limitation, since other desired specific pressures. may be used without departing. from the spirit of the invention.

The smaller cylinder 49 is here shown as having a port 49 to which a conduit 50 is connected, the other end of the conduit being connected to the outlet 5| of a check valve 52 here shown as comprising a ball 5.3 pressed to a valve seat by a spring 513. The check valve 52 has an inlet 55 which is connected by a conduit 56 to the 3 conduit 13, as here shown between the throttle valve Ma; and the port i i.

Referring now to Fig. 2, this figure shows a structure in which certain of the parts of the system are combined in a unit. Parts in Fig. 2 which correspond to parts in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference characters, primed. The larger cylinder [5' is separately formed and is assembled with a block 57 by cooperating screw threads 58. The piston 35 cooperating with the cylinder is shown in the position it assumes when it has been moved, by fluid pressure in the cylinder, to the outward limit of its stroke, in which it abuts a shoulder 59 formed by a reduced cylindrical portion '50 forming a housing for the helical spring 31'. The pressure of the spring 31 against the piston 36' is adjustable by a screw 6! threaded through the end E52 of the spring housing and abutting a plate 53 which engages the spring 31'. A lock nut 54 is provided to hold the screw 6! in adjusted position.

A machine screw 65 extends through the piston 36' and is threaded into the piston 39, for fastening the piston 39' to the piston The piston 39 cooperates with the cylinder formed in the block 57. The screw 55 may also serve to hold a pressure-retaining washer 556 which c0- operates with the wall of the cylinder 15', and a plate 61 which serves to maintain all except outer peripheral portions of the washer 6'5 against the piston 36', the washer $6 and plate 3? being interposed between the face of the piston 35 and the right hand end of the piston 39. The free end of the piston 39' may also be provided with a suitably held pressure-retaining washer 68.

The inlet It to the cylinder i5 is provided by an end of a passage 59 formed in the block 5?. The other end of the passage 69 communicates with a screw threaded connection 70 to which a conduit from the discharge outlet of the pump 52 is adapted to be connected.

The valve l9 (which is shown in open position in Fig. 2) is suitably seated on and fastened to the block 57, with its inlet l8 in communication with a passage H in the block til, the passage 7! communicating with the passage 69. The passage H corresponds, functionally, to the conduit 11. The valve I9 is provided with a threaded connection 12 communicating with an annular recess 73, the connection 72 being adapted to be connected to the conduit 23. As here shown, the recess 13 leaves at its inner periphery an annular valve seat It around the inlet 18', the valve body 20 being in the form of a suitable disk cooperable with the valve seat 14 and biased toward the seat by the diaphragm 2 l The outer peripheral portion of the diaphragm 2i may be suitably held against an annular margin 15 surrounding the recess 13, by a member 2'3 having an upwardly directed recess Ti. The valve body 20' is hereshown as held to the diaphragm 2! by a screw 18 threaded into a guide member 19 fitting slidably in a hole in the member it. It will be evident that the diaphragm 2| forms a cover for the annular recess 13 whether or not the valve body 20 is in engagement with the seat it.

The larger cylinder 15' has an outlet 8| pro vided by an end of a passage 82 formed in the block 57, the other end of the passage 82 communicating with the valve seat 83 formed at the end of the countersunk bore 84. The spring 54 is here shown as pressed against the ball 53 by a plug 85 threaded into an enlarged part of the bore 84.

A passage 86 is provided extending from the end of the smaller cylinder 40' into the bore 84. Another passage 81 is provided extending from the bore 84 to a valve seat 88 formed at the end of a countersunk bore 89. lhe spring 46' is here shown as pressed against the ball 45' by a plug 90 threaded into an enlarged part of the bore 89. A passage 9| extends from the bore 89 through a threaded connection 92 to which the conduit 68 is adapted to be connected.

It will be evident that conduit means is provided from the connection 70 to the smaller cylinder 46' by the passage 69, the larger cylinder I5, the passage 82, through the check valve 53--83 into the bore 84, and through the passage 86 into the cylinder M. On the other hand, fluid cannot flow from the smaller cylinder as into the passage 82 such flow being prevented by the ball 53' acting against the seat 83. It will be noted that while, in Fig. l, fluid fiow from the conduit I3 to the conduit 23 takes place through the large cylinder 15, through the conduit H and valve 19, to the conduit 23, this is not the case in Fig. 2 in which flow from the connection it to the connection l2 takes place through the passage T 69 and thence through the passage H, through the valve l9 to the connection 12. However, the larger cylinder 45 is connected, through the passage 69 to the conduit means through which flow takes place from the connection 10 to the connection 52. In principle the instances of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are the same.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the operation of the system is as follows: Assuming that the pump [2 has been set into operation, fuel will flow through valve I la through pipe l3 and port It into the larger cylinder l5. The valve I9 is closed, and hence pressure will be built up in the cylinder l 5 by the fuel pumped into it, whereby the piston 36 is moved against the bias of the spring 31. Meanwhile fuel flows from the conduit l 3 through the check valve 52 into the smaller cylinder 40. When the piston 36 has reached the limit of its outward stroke (upward as viewed in Fig. 1), and the spring 37 is fully compressed, or, in any event, when the fuel pressure in the cylinder l5, and hence in the conduit 11, reaches a predetermined value, higher than normal feed pres sure, the valve body 20 of the valve I9 is moved, with a snap action, to its open position, thereby opening communication between conduits l1 and 23. The sudden reduction of pressure in the cylinder l5 caused by opening of the valve l9 permits the spring 3'! to move the piston 36 rapidly to its initial position, thereby plunging the smaller piston 39 into the cylinder 40 to its initial position. Thereby a charge of fuel, corresponding to the stroke of the piston 39, is forced out of the smaller cylinder 40 at high pressure, this pressure being sufficient to open the valve M. The charge of fuel under high pressure is fed through the conduit 48 into the burner nozzle 32 and thence into the combustion chamber where it may be ignited by the spark plug 34, or other suitable means. It will be noted that the check valve 52 prevents flow from the cylinder at into the conduit 13. The check valve 21 prevents flow from the conduit 48 through the conduit 3i into the conduit 25.

Meanwhile, the valve I9 having opened and the pump [2 continuing to operate, the valve l9 remains open and fuel is fed from the conduit 25, through the check valve 21 and the conduit M to the nozzle 32 as soon as the high pressure in conduit 48 disappears due to the piston 39 reach ing the pressure end of its stroke with resultant reclosure of valve 44, whereupon. the nozzle 32 is immediately fed with fuel at the normal desired feed pressure.

As long as fuel continues to be fed at normal desired pressure the valve 19 will stay open. If, for example, operation of the pump l2 iszstopped', the valve is will close, and by restarting the pump, the cycle of operation hereinbefore described will be repeated.

As hereinbefore. pointed out, the apparatus shown in Fig. 2: differs from that shown in Fig. 1 in that certain parts. of the system are combined in a unit. When thisunit is connected in a conduit system the connection l8? will be connected to the discharge outlet of a pump, such as pump l2, preferably downstream of valve Him; the connection 12 will be connected to a discharge. conduit, such as conduit 23; and the connection 92 will be connected to a discharge conduit, such as conduit 48 position which they assume after the. pump l2 has been in operation a sufiicient time to. cause fuel pumped through port M" into. cylinder IE to move the piston St to the outward limit of its stroke (to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 the cylinder 40 has been filled with fuel through valve 52 from cylinder it; the valve body 20' has just snapped to open position having been subjected to above normal fuel feed pressure through passage H'. The sudden release of fuel pressure through connection 12 will cause the spring 31' to force the piston 36 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, thereby plunging the piston 39' into the cylinder 40' forcing'a charge of fuel from cylinder 40' through-valve 44" out of the connection 92. In this operation the check valve 52 prevents fuel flow from cylinder 40' through valve 52, through passage 8| into cylinder [5.

It will therefore be apparent that the mode of operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is exactly the same as that shown in Fig. i.

It will be evident that the pressure produced by movement of the piston 33 (or 3%) into the smaller cylinder M (or 40) may be substantially any desired amount higher than the pressure in the. larger cylinder E5 (or it") because the pressure in the cylinder 40 (or 40') depends. upon the ratio of the effective area of the piston 36 (or 35 to. that of the piston 39' (or 39).

If desired a high pressure fuel feed conduit 48?) (Fig. 3) may be connected to a special nozzle 93 adapted to feed the high pressure starting fuel, adjacent a spark plug 3432), into a chamber 3312, instead of to a nozzle 3%. The nozzle 3211 then serves only to feed fuel to the chamber 33b at normal operating pressure.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiments of the invention provide new and improved fuel feeding systems and. accordingly each acc0mplishes the principal object of the invention. On the other hand, it will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiments of the invention may be variously changed and modified, or features thereof singly or col lectively, embodied in other combinations than those illustrated with departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof, and that, accordingly, the disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and the invention is not limited thereto.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising: first conduit means for The parts in Fig. 2 are shown in the connection with the chamber for feedingfuelito the chamber at a predetermined pressure during normal operation; means responsive; to fuel pressure in said first conduit means for. preventing feed of fuel therethrough unless said fuel. pressure rises to a predetermined value; second conduit means for connection with the chamber; connection means between said second conduit means and said first conduit means on the. upstream side of said fuel pressure responsive means; and means for feeding fuel through said second conduit means to the chamber at. a pressuresubstantially higher than said predetermined pressures, to provide fuel for combustion-starting in the chamber.

2. Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising: first conduit means for connection with the chamber for feeding fuel to the chamber at a predetermined pressure during normal operation; valve means in said conduit means; means biasing said valvemeans to closed position constructed and arranged to pre vent opening of said valve means until the fuel pressure in said conduit means rises to apredetermined value; second conduit means for con-- nection with the chamber; and means, responsive to opening of said valve means, for feeding fuel through said second conduit means to the chamber at a pressure substantially higher than said predetermined pressure, to provide fuel for combustion-starting in the chamber.

Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising: conduit means for connection with the chamber for feeding fuel to the chamber; means responsive to fuel pressure in said conduit means for preventing feed of fuel to the chamber unless said fuel pressure rises to a predetermined value; and separate means, controlled by the pressure in said conduit means,

for feeding a predetermined quantity of fuel to the chamber at a pressure substantially higher than said predetermined pressure, to provide fuel for combustion-starting in the chamber.

4. Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion chamber, comp-rising: conduit means for connection with the chamber for feeding fuel to" the chamber; control means for preventing feed of fuel to the chamber when said fuel pressure in said conduit means is below a predetermined value and operable by rise of said fuel pressure to apredetermined value to feed fuel to the chamber; and separate means, responsive 'to operation of said control means by rise in fuel pressure, for feeding a predetermined quantity of fuel to the chamber at a pressure substantially higher than said predetermined pressure, to provide fuel for combustion-starting in the chamber.

5. Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising: conduit means for connection with the chamber for feeding fuel to the chamber at a predetermined pressure during normal operation; a first cylinder connected to said conduit means; a second cylinder of substantially smaller diameter than said first cylinder; connection means for delivering fuel to said second cylinder from said conduit means; discharge means for said second cylinder for connection with the combustion chamber; a first piston cooperating with said first cylinder, responsive to fuel pressure in said conduit means; and a second piston movable with said first piston and cooperating with said second cylinder for feeding fuel from said second cylinder to said discharge means at a pressure substantially higher than 7 said predetermined pressure, to provide fuel for combustion-starting in the chamber.

6. Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising: conduit means for connection with the chamber for feeding fuel to the chamber; valve means, interposed in said conduit means and operable in response to predetermined fuel pressure in said conduit means, to feed fuel to the chamber during normal operation; a first cylinder connected to said conduit means on the upstream side of said valve means; a second cylinder of substantially smaller diameter than said first cylinder; connection means for de1ivering fuel to said second cylinder from said conduit means on the upstream side of said valve means; discharge means for said second cylinder for connection. with the combustion chamber; a first piston cooperating with said first cylinder responsive to the operation of said valve means by a rise in fuel pressure in said conduit means; and a second piston movable with said first piston and cooperating with said second cylinder for feeding fuel from said second cylinder to said discharge means at a pressure substantially higher than said predetermined pressure, to provide fuel for combustionstarting in the chamber.

7. Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising: conduit means for connection with the chamber for feeding fuel to the chamber; valve means, interposed in said conduit means and operable with a snap action i in response to predetermined fuel pressure in said conduit means, to feed fuel to the chamber during normal operation; a first cylinder connected to said conduit means on the upstream side of said valve means; a second cylinder of substantially smaller diameter than said first cylinder: connection means for delivering fuel to said second cylinder from said conduit means on the upstream side of said valve means; discharge means for said second cylinder for connection with the combustion chamber; a first piston cooperating with said first cylinder responsive to the operation of said valve means by a rise in fuel pressure in said conduit means;

and a second piston movable with said first piston and cooperating with said second cylinder for feeding fuel from said second cylinder to said discharge means at a pressure substantially higher than said predetermined pressure, to provide fuel for combustion-starting in the chamber. 8. Apparatus for feeding fuel to a combustion 8 chamber, comprising: conduit means for con.- nection with the chamber for feeding fuel to the chamber; valve means, interposedin said conduit means and operable with a snap action in response to predetermined fuel pressure in said conduit means, to feed fuel to the chamher during normal operation; a first cylinder connected to said conduit means on the upstream side of said valve means; a second cylinder of substantially smaller diameter than said first cylinder; connection means for delivering fuel to said second cylinder from said conduit means on the upstream side of said valve means; a check valve in said connection means for preventing fuel flow from said second cylinder to said conduit means; discharge means for said second cylinder for connection with the combustion chamber; valve means interposed in said discharge means and operable to open in response to fuel pressure in said discharge means substantially higher than said predetermined pressure; a first piston cooperating with said first cylinder responsive to the operation of said valve means by a rise in fuel pressure in said conduit means; and a second piston movable with said first piston and cooperating with said second cylinder for feeding fuel from said second cylinder to said discharge means at a pressure substantially higher than said predetermined pressure, to provide fuel for combustionstarting in the chamber.

JAMES L. RAY.

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